A 67-year-old Texas man was recently arrested after authorities discovered human remains buried at his home, believed to be those of his ex-girlfriend who disappeared 25 years ago. Kimberly Langwell, 34, disappeared on July 9, 1999, after telling her daughter she planned to stop by her ex-boyfriend’s house. Her car was later found abandoned at a pharmacy, sparking a lengthy investigation that went cold for many years.
In April, a “reliable informant” told investigators that Langwell had been killed inside her ex-boyfriend Terry Rose’s home on the night she disappeared and buried on his property. Langwell’s daughter expressed her belief that her mother had never left Rose’s home, and investigators are currently waiting on DNA results to confirm the identity of the remains. Despite this uncertainty, authorities consider the cold case to be solved and are relieved that Langwell’s family can finally have closure.
The case gained new traction in November when it was featured on the Oxygen series “Cold Justice With Kelly Siegler.” Langwell’s family expressed gratitude for the show and the Beaumont Police Department for their ongoing investigations, as well as their belief that they had always known who had killed Langwell. The evidence at the time of her disappearance was circumstantial but significant, prompting the family to maintain their suspicions over the years.
During a news conference on Friday, Beaumont Police Chief Jimmy Singletary became emotional, praising the extraordinary work of the detectives who had stayed on the case for decades. Ground-penetrating radar tools were used by volunteers to identify an area of interest within minutes of their arrival, leading to the recovery of the human remains. Positive identification is pending confirmation, but the family is hoping for answers and a chance to begin a new grieving process as they bring Langwell home.
Langwell’s sister thanked the efforts of law enforcement and search organizations like Equusearch, who were instrumental in assisting with the recovery of the remains. Rose’s bond was set at $1 million on Friday, and it is unclear whether he has retained an attorney or when his next court appearance is scheduled. Langwell’s daughter expressed her desire for Rose to spend the same amount of time behind bars as her family has suffered without closure, highlighting the emotional toll that the long-running investigation has taken on them.
